In March 2023, just after returning from a trip to Cancun with my sisters, I decided to give online dating a real chance. With great photos from the trip and a little help from friends, I curated a Hinge profile that finally felt like me. We were coming out of the haze of COVID, learning how to date and live again, and I was clear about one thing. I was dating with purpose. Around that same time, Martin had made the same decision. We connected on Hinge, and from the beginning, our conversations felt aligned. We talked about family, values, travel, and life. There was no unnecessary small talk. We were both asking real questions and paying attention to the answers. I was nervous about meeting in person and kept my guard up. When Martin asked for my number, I told him I preferred to stay on the app. When he suggested meeting, I hesitated, then checked myself. If I was serious, I needed to allow room for possibility. I messaged him back and offered my number. He said no. He told me that if we met in person and I liked him at the end of the date, we could exchange numbers then. That response caught me off guard. In that moment, I knew he was different. Our first date was lunch at Sweetgreen. Simple and easy. We sat across from each other, and I felt completely at ease. He listened to me. Truly listened. It felt natural, familiar, and safe. He still laughs about how I rushed ahead of him in line to pay for my lunch. I did not want him to think I expected anything. I rushed forward, but he quickly overtook me and paid anyway. From the very beginning, he showed up with care, intention, and quiet confidence. He asked me out again, but I already had another date scheduled that day. I kept my word to that plan, and that second date only confirmed what I already knew. Nothing compared to Martin. Our second date was at Beetlecat, and everything unfolded from there.

When I decided to try online dating, I was very intentional. I had a daughter, and that changed how I approached everything. Not everyone gets access to your life when you are building something real. When Patience and I connected, I did not know what she did for a living. That was not what stood out. What stood out was how sure she was of herself. How grounded she was. How different she felt. When we met in person, I was locked into the conversation. I was listening to her words, her thoughts, the way she carried herself. On our second date, she asked if I noticed anything different about her. She had taken out her weave. I missed it, not because I was careless, but because I was focused on her presence and our connection. There was no single moment when I suddenly realized I was in love. For me, it was a series of moments. The way we communicated. The way we recovered quickly after disagreements. The way we chose not to sit in distance or disconnection. We chose each other again and again. That mattered to me. I bought Patience’s ring a few months before proposing and planned it at our favorite restaurant, surrounded by close family and friends. It felt right. Intentional. Us. Love was not something that happened to me. It was something we built.

We became official in May 2023 and got engaged in October 2024. In between, we traveled, built a business together, and learned how to do life side by side. This love was never about grand gestures alone. It has always been about intention. About choosing each other daily. About faith, trust, partnership, and growth. We call each other purpose partners. Our foundation is rooted in faith in God, deep respect for one another, and a commitment to building a meaningful, joyful life together. And now, we get to celebrate it with you in the place we call our favorite restaurant and our comfort food spot. It is where we celebrated with friends and family moments after we got engaged, and where we will gather again on our wedding day to celebrate us.